Chennai Super Kings (CSK) middle-order batter Ambati Rayudu has announced that he will retire from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after featuring for the Yellow Brigade in the final of the 2023 season against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“2 great teams mi and csk,204 matches,14 seasons,11 playoffs,8 finals, 5 trophies. hopefully 6th tonight. It’s been quite a journey. I have decided that tonight’s final is going to be my last game in the IPL. I truly have enjoyed playing in this great tournament. Thank u all. No, u-turn,” wrote Rayudu on his Twitter account ahead of the IPL 2023 final on Sunday.
Rayudu made his IPL debut in 2010 with five-time champions Mumbai Indians and featured for them till the 2017 edition, winning three titles with them in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
Later, he was then acquired by the CSK just before the 2018 season of the cash-rich league.
Rayudu had his best IPL season with the bat in 2018 where he had amassed 602 runs from 16 innings at an average of 43, which included his highest individual score of 100 not out, as the side won the trophy after serving a two-year suspension due to involvement of a key official in spot-fixing and betting.
Overall, Rayudu has amassed 4329 runs from 203 matches, averaging 28.29 and a strike-rate of 127.29, including a century and 22 fifties, out of which 1,913 runs so far have come while playing for CSK.
Ahead of Sunday’s final against Gujarat, Rayudu featured in 15 matches for Chennai in IPL 2023, aggregating 139 runs, averaging 15.44 at a strike rate of 132.38.
For India, Rayudu played 55 ODIs and six T20Is between 2013-19. Notably, in 2022, Rayudu had prematurely announced his retirement from the IPL, before it was deleted in an hour after the CSK team management intervened.
“I am happy to announce that this will be my last IPL. I have had a wonderful time playing it and being a part of 2 great teams for 13 years. Would love to sincerely thank Mumbai Indians and CSK for the wonderful journey,” Rayudu had said in the deleted tweet.